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21 June 2007 UK Quarries Prepare for Sunshine Adventure Seekers
Quarry operators across the UK are preparing themselves for the long hot summer that has been predicted by weathermen and which could mean trespassers unwittingly putting themselves at risk. Warm weather is a particular factor in increased levels of quarry trespass by both children and adults and operators are keen to work with communities in staying safe. Lynda Thompson is the QPA's chairman: "Quarries can sometimes be a natural magnet for some people who don't understand the hazards that can await them," she said. "They are safe places for work and have a vital role in our world but they are not playgrounds and we rely on parents and teachers to support us in delivering that essential message. It is all too easy for what could be viewed as an afternoon's fun to turn into an unexpected tragedy and our members are doing all they can in liaison with the local emergency services and communities to prevent that happening." Quarry companies ensure they inspect their quarry fencing and warning signs as a priority and many operators are already visiting schools and youth groups to spread the safety message. The QPA recently brought quarry managers from across the country together for a training session on how to develop closer links with schools to discourage trespass. This renewed effort to tackle the problem of trespass will see quarry managers take the safety message to thousands of children across the country in the lead up to the summer holiday. The Play Safe…Stay Safe campaign helps to raise awareness of the often unrecognised hazards of trespassing in a typical quarry, which can include deep and cold water; piles of sand where children could dig tunnels that can cause them to collapse and steep drops. A nationwide survey from the QPA found that 85 per cent of quarries that responded were also concerned about trespass by adults. In the majority of cases, this was associated with leisure activities, such as dog-walking, motor-cycling and bird-watching. But adults need be leading by example and not entering quarries uninvited. Some quarry operators are starting to take a tougher stance to adult trespass on the basis that, by breaking down fences, adults are putting others at risk. One company has been granted an injunction restraining two men from entering a disused quarry. It took the case to court in desperation after the men repeatedly broke through security fences to ride motorbikes. QPA is particularly concerned about the potential for accidents at disused quarries, which often become beauty spots and attract whole families. Amongst those who often ignore the hazards of such sites - and in doing so encourage children - are divers and climbers. The QPA's Lynda Thompson said: "quarry operators are keen to ensure that parents and teachers are fully aware of the dangers that young people can face if they trespass on both active and disused sites. And adults who trespass are not only putting themselves at risk but may also be inadvertently encouraging young people to follow their example. As an industry we are aiming for zero accidents within our workforce and this is a target we hold for members of the public too - one accident is one too many." Further safety advice and an interactive safety game are available
from www.virtualquarry.co.uk/
which also offers an online quarry tour as a safe alternative.
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